Gone are the days when the only protein available for a vegan family’s tea was a tasteless slab of beige tofu.These days, veganism and living a more sustainable and environmentally friendlier life, in general, is becoming increasingly popular. Thankfully, food manufacturers and restaurant managers alike are finally catching up. There are now myriad more culinary options, and the following are four of the most vital ingredients to keep in your home vegan kitchen.
1. Nutritional Yeast
Often referred to as a ‘vegan’s best friend’, nutritional yeast is fortified with high level of the essential vitamin B12. This vitamin is typically found in the vast majority ofanimal products.
This is why nutritional yeast forms the basis of a huge variety of meals for vegan families and students, including vegan parmesan dishes, dairy-free macaroni and cheese, soups, pasta dishes and salads.
2. Nuts!
From the perfect morning snack to keep you going until lunchtime to a crunchy, fibre-full main star of a salad, nuts in all shapes and varieties should be abundant in your kitchen due to their versatility.
As you would expect, some types of nuts are far more nutritionally beneficial than others, with the following being some of the healthiest:
- Peanuts (an excellent source of healthy fats to support heart health)
- Pecans (high in magnesium and fibre)
- Brazil Nuts (containing high levels of selenium)
- Pistachios (full of plant-based proteins)
3. Specific Vitamin & Mineral Supplements
Some people believe that, when following a vegan diet, they must complement their food and drink with a boatload of supplements to ensure they eat the right vitamins and minerals.Now, as long as you plan your meals and snacks carefully and keep on top of physical health checks, this might not be as necessary as you think.
However, should you want to ensure you are feeding your body correctly, especially in the first few weeks and months of turning vegan and getting used to your new way of life, you should take some supplements that are totally vegan-friendly.
Quality CBD gummies and other products from cbd-guru.co.uk come in vegan-friendly options, meaning that regardless of the supplement, you can enjoy the same benefits as a non-vegan can.
4. Vegan Milk
One reasonnon-vegans believe they could never switch to such a diet is that milk is a mainstay of so many different foods, and as a result, navigating their meals around this seems too much like hard work.
In reality, a seemingly endless variety of plant-based, vegan-friendly milk products are available on the UK market, meaning that in the kitchen at home, you can make your family a plethora of baked goods without compromising your vegan lifestyle.
While there are many plant-based cheeses, yoghurts, and ice creams, you might want to make your own with your favourite plant-based milks, so you can control exactly what is going into them. Almond or oat milks are best for this as they have a better consistency and taste.